Reviews

What a horrible experience. Purchased two pairs of…

What a horrible experience. Purchased two pairs of these and they are terrible! Started falling apart the first time out. We didn't walk on anything but snow.

Pros

None

Cons

Poorly made

Overpriced

Terrible customer service

These are the worst snowshoes I have ever used.

They have several flaws:

The ratchet bindings loosen very quickly, so you have stop to tighten them every few minutes.

The poles close no matter how tight you set them. The baskets that attach to the bottom of the poles broke in the first outing.

The shoes themselves are poor quality. The straps that attach the decking have all broken, all the way around the shoes. This has happened to two pairs that were purchased at the same time.

The poles are not functional. They collapse no matter how much you tighten them and the baskets are poorly made and broke within minutes of use.

The binding loosen so you have to stop to fix them every few minutes.

The straps that attach the decking are broken pretty much all the way around the shoes. The look like they're made of low quality plastic that isn't actually made to stand the cold. They crack in the weather.

They are overpriced and didn't even last a season.

The worst part though, was the terrible customer service I received. They were rude, blamed me for not walking in them properly. Refused to help at all...but did suggest I purchase new pairs for next year.

I have used Atlas shoes in the past and have had them last 8 years with no issue. I would recommend checking out that site.

I have two pairs in the house and use them frequently…

I have two pairs in the house and use them frequently with NO problem whatsoever. Of course, I only use them when 'shoes are truly warranted (snow deeper than 1 foot), thereby eliminating any bent or damaged crampons.

Incidentally, I weigh 345 lbs and the model 34's hold me up and perform nicely.

My wife bought me a pair of these after I raved about…

My wife bought me a pair of these after I raved about them while using them at work timber cruising in NW BC all day every day. Now retired I use them for fun, a lot. I've never had a problem with anything bending or breaking.

hi Alica..living in NW BC i enjoy hiking in the mixed Cedar/Hemlock old growth forests that we have up here, frozen lakes and rivers are also fun to explore..this spring we have our usual 3 ft snowpack which enables one to go just about anywhere...

Welcome to Trailspace, Kim. Can you tell us more about the snowshoes and what kind of conditions you've been using them in? Also, if you have some pictures, those would be very helpful for others to see. Thanks!

Best experience ever! Bought a family set and am completely…

Best experience ever! Bought a family set and am completely satisfied with the whole experience ordering to arrival!

Pros

All

Cons

None

I contacted the company by email and received a response in minutes. They simplified what I would need for my family first starting out, and received more then we would of ever expected. Service, product, price and delivery all amazing!

We received four pairs of snowshoes, poles, and carrying bags for an amazing price. They arrived just in time to surprise my family for a March break adventure we would never forget.

My wife and I bought the shoes from BigFoot, and we…

My wife and I bought the shoes from BigFoot, and we were amazed at how they functioned. My wife had been snowshoeing previously and was impressed with the ease that the snowshoes functioned.

Pros

They are easy to put on, and the binding moved with your natural stride.

Cons

We had an issue with the poles collapsing on us.

The people at Bigfoot Snowshoes took really good care of my wife and I. They had a Valentine's Day special. My wife's and my 32nd anniversary was this year. We love to hike, and we wanted to try and see if snowshoeing was a good activity for us in the winter, so I wanted to buy her snowshoes for us.

Well, I didn't get paid until February the 15th. I contacted the folks at Bigfoot and ask if they would extend the special for me. Well they had no issues and made sure we had an opportunity to take advantage of the special. That impressed me. Their product also impressed me.

We went out last Sunday and only quit when we had to because too when we ran out of sunlight!!

We were impressed with the quality of their product, and I was impressed with their product. I recommend their product and services!!

I ordered this set three days ago, and they showed up yesterday! I had one part of my pole that didn't lock properly, so I emailed the company, and within minutes I was emailed back about how to just tighten a screw to fix my problem.

Well, I haven't got to use them yet, due to lack of snow. But so far my hubby and I are in love! Built really sturdy, and there were certainly no corners cut! All rivets are tight and the quality of the material is very good.

They look fantastic, are are super lightweight! I've had some heavy snow shoes, but these are great :)

Wow! how'd they do? yes, they could probably sell you swamp land in the Everglades and even put makeup on a pig and sell it to you, but mention the word "WARRANTY" to Barry and see what happens. Just make sure you tell them you only walked in a snow covered parking lot, just like their demo video. Your WARRANTY does not cover you walking on ICE, which is under most snow. Do not take off a groomed trail or ski hill, void if used in a forest type setting. Whatever you do, do not mention that you used them for any kind of work related activity. Good Luck

Thanks for sharing your review, Steve. I'm sorry to hear about your poor experience. If possible, it would be very helpful if you added some pictures of your failed snowshoes to your review, for others to see.

3 years ago

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Base began falling apart/tearing after three years…

Base began falling apart/tearing after three years of light use. Looks like crampons can come up and cut the base straps, other stress tears, too. I weigh 160 lbs and was using Size 25 so shouldn't have been overstressing them. Disappointing.

Pros

Fairly cheap

Boot straps work well

Cons

Base strapping appears to be poorly designed/weak

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I have a couple of pairs of Bigfoot snowshoes. I have…

I have a couple of pairs of Bigfoot snowshoes. I have never had a problem with mine. I use mine hard checking rabbit snares in the winter. I have read the reviews and cannot imagine why people would be snowshoeing in less than 1 foot of snow!! That is why they are wrecking their shoes.

Pros

Excellent harness

Lightweight

Quality built

Cons

Llimited flotation compared to traditional snowshoes

Good product for its intended use (snowshoeing in deep snow). The snowshoes are well built, with minimal maintenance. I use mine in extreme conditions of Northern Ontario and would highly recommend them!

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NO STARS. I purchased four pairs of these shoes between…

NO STARS. I purchased four pairs of these shoes between myself and friends and had the same problem — the crampons bent the first time out and the snow stuck to them so badly that huge balls were created and we couldn't walk more than five steps without our ankles rolling.

I live in Alberta, where the snow is dry and fluffy and it still happens.

Customer service was useless, suggesting I try wax on the crampons, which I did to no avail. They haven't answered any other emails.

DO NOT BUY THESE SNOWSHOES! They are a good price, but a great example of you get what you pay for unfortunately.

My wife gave me these snowshoes for Christmas. I used…

My wife gave me these snowshoes for Christmas. I used them for one hour — one hour — on 4" of snow with frozen ground underneath. After examining them for problems after the first hike, I found the aluminum crampons to be completely flat in front and back.

Contacting Bigfoot for a refund was useless. The service rep quoted me their warrantee policy (one year) and offered to send replacement crampons. I asked what I was to do after the next use, wait two more weeks for more crampons? What was I to do after the 1 year warranty, purchase more crampons?

The aluminum is just far to week to hold up. This is a very poorly designed snowshoe and will give the user nothing more than frustration. Go with an Atlas.

Another note, we have sent the shoes back to Bigfoot, and are disputing this charge with Visa. Great customer service!

I am one of the owners of Bigfoot Snowshoes and would be happy to address your issue. Please call me at 1-877-888-7426.

In regards to your comment about snow sticking to the snowshoe, this can happen with any type of snowshoe if the snow is very sticky, similar to when you go cross country skiing. If you fin the snow in your area is very sticky, you can add a piece of fabric between the screws and the crampon. We sell thousands of pairs of snowshoes to individuals, resorts, school groups, and retailers and have never had the complaint about snow sticking to the snowshoe.

You mentioned you have a crampon that is bent. We can gladly send you a replacement and include screws, we do not normally include the screws as you already have them on your current binding and snowshoe, but if you have lost these, we can get new ones for you. To avoid bending crampons (which is very rare) make sure to put your snowshoe on when you are not on cement or pavement. Some people put them on in a paved parking lot before heading out on an adventure trail, I've never seen a crampon bend from this, but I would still recommend putting them on once you are off paved areas.

I would also recommend checking our sizing guide to ensure you have the right size of snowshoes for you. It is best to take your weight, add about 10-15lbs for your boots, jackets and gear, and if you are in between sizes, go with the larger size as this will give you better float on top of the snow. Dave, it sounds like you may have the Powder Pro snowshoes and from what you are explaining, the Adventure Sport snowshoe would be a much better fit for your needs and terrain that you are using your snowshoes on. Give me a call at 1-877-888-7426 and we'll figure out a solution for you. We love snowshoeing, and want you to be happy!

Hopefully the above solutions help address your problems and if you need any replacement parts just let us know. Have a great day!

I had the same experience with Barry Tiller...he's to nice...he insulted me and refused to help at all. Said that my shoes that were broken after one use were misused. You'd think something that made to be walked on would be a little more resilient.

4 years ago

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